Land Rover Discovery 4 3.0 SDV6 HSE 5dr Car Review - February 2012

The Range Rover Discover 4 3.0 SDV6 GS's engine produces 255bhp with a torque figure of 442lb-ft. This gives a fairly rapid rate of acceleration, with the car capable of reaching 0-62 mph in 9.6 seconds and a top speed of 112mph.

The engine is refined and smooth but the throttle is slow to respond. Capable of towing up to 3.5 tonnes, the Discovery offers good power credentials which make it a great option for those looking for a large 4x4.

Steering is also good but unfortunately fails to match the BMW X5 or Porsche Cayenne. The suspension is good, smoothing imperfections in the road well and, combined with a relatively refined and quiet engine, cabin comfort levels are high.

The appearance of the Land Rover is striking and the quality of materials is high and this means the the interior both looks and feels great. The controls and instruments and well laid out and firm to the touch, giving a quality feel.

In terms of equipment, this model comes with power steering, central locking, stability control, alloy wheels, climate control, electric door mirrors, electric front windows, rear parking sensors, Bluetooth connectivity and a stereo with CD player all as standard - the same as on the Discovery 4 3.0 SDV6 GS.

However, in addition to this, the HSE model also benefits from metallic paint, cruise control, leather seats, MP3 connectivity for the stereo and a built-in sat nav as standard fixtures - all features which are unavailable or incur additional costs on the cheaper model.

The Discovery 4 3.0 SDV6 HSE feels and looks well built but unfortunately Land Rover has a poor reputation for reliability and this means buyers are likely to have doubts over the vehicle. Of course, improvements have been made but whether these have rectified the faults of previous models remains to be seen. A three year warranty with unlimited mileage is offered.

In terms of general safety and security, the car comes with driver, passenger and front side airbags fitted as standard whilst an immobiliser and alarm to deter thieves are also standard fixtures.

As a seven seat option, there is plenty of practicality offered for large families. You can choose a variety of seating layouts to accommodate different numbers of passengers and luggage with the boot offering an impressive storage capacity of 2,558 litres when the rear seats are folded down and a reasonable 280 litres when all of the seats are in place.

The 3.0 litre engine in this Discovery uses less fuel and has lower emissions than earlier Discovery models but costs will still be high with carbon emissions of 230g/km putting the Disco into tax bracket L.

The Discovery achieves 32.1 mpg on the combined cycle which is pretty good for a car of this size. The cost of the Discovery is £51,195 and resale values are generally very strong. However, the reliability issues associated with the brand should be taken into consideration and buyers should be prepared to encounter some maintenance costs associated with this.

On top of this, the higher purchase price of the car sees buyers paying an additional £13,200 over the base model, for a car which delivers the same level of performance. Whilst the interior may be more comfortable and the level of equipment may be higher, this price difference is just too wide.